Histamine release from mast cells and blood basophils is being studied as one of the immunological mechanisms involved in inflammation. Among the histamine releasing agents employed are IgE antibody, the anaphylatoxins, and the CA++ ionophore A23187. Cultured rat basophilic leukemia cells are used as a model for the studies of the IgE receptor and changes in phospholipid methylation during cell activation. Large number of cells can be obtained for biochemical studies and biochemical variants selected which are defective at different sites in the pathway of cell activation and secretion.